Our office is
drawing daggers and pitching band names in a heated discussion over this latest
release from SCREAMS FOR TINA: 2003 A.D. Ian Curtis - reborn? Virgin Prunes?
Written in Ashes, perhaps? But no, SCREAMS FOR TINA precedes Written in Ashes,
and many other modern rock bands who now shy away from stereotypical terms
such as deathrock and goth rock as though it were
riddled by lice, or the Black Plague. As to re-inventing the immortals of
Joy Division and The Virgin Prunes, I believe all musicians may be guilty
for getting it right at least once in a lifetime.

Initially devastating
the music scene with their Strobelight Funeral e.p., SCREAMS FOR
TINA speaks to a segment of the underground with words and music that breathe
life into the molding essence of who and what we are/were as cultural Death
Rock iconoclasts against the norm of Reganomics, flying the flag of Jim Morrison
as a modern-day revival of the Death Rock standard.

However, before
one can begin to evaluate Death Rock, one must get a grip on the culture of
gloom and doom lining the bedrock of the bi-polar generation.

SCREAMS FOR TINA
may be the grip-tape of survival against a pop-culture universe.

2003 A.D.delivers
medication samplers to carry you forward until your local indie record store
pharmacy can fill your Rx. Plus, 2003 A.D. features a brief look back into
the distant past with the inclusion of Eleven Eleven.

For openers,
Standing in the Rain boldly tosses the expired zoloft into the
garbage, abandoning the gauntlet of introspective torments in favour of brighter
days. ::Shudder:: Something tells me that these melancholy death rockers
arent holding out for more sunshine, but rather a reprieve from despair
in a Life of Sin. SCREAMS FOR TINA keeps the dance floor grooves
spinning while molting into a slightly Eastern influenced instrumental with
"Ranjipur. Closing out this ep is the flashback to "Eleven
Eleven, a remixed version of the track which originally caught so much
feedback and interest from fans of that tracks appearance on an compilation
album called The Whip put out circa 93 by the then fledgeling
Cleopatra Records.

Which now bring
us to that first full length album inspired by the success of Eleven
Eleven.

Judgement
Day busts down the gates of HELL to bring you the very best of Death
Rock rising from the rich and fertile soil of the L.A. underground. This is
the music that immediately gets you grooving and eyeing the stage for a glimpse
of light reflected in the eyes of Warren Mansfield (vocals, guitars). Black
eyeliner permanence beneath the darkest of thick eyelashes and sweat drenched
bangs, swinging. Music to unleash the ass-kicking spirit locked up within
every decadent young soul. Suffer leans on the spirit of remorse,
regret, and sour-grapes inspirations. In Her House jumps back
into the pit with shredding guitars and intense percussion. Break-neck pacing
follows into the arms of never... In Her House. Music
inspired by the lust tearing holes in your skin on the way back
into the seductive den of the lioness.

Much of what
Im hearing now in this earlier album feels influenced by Alien Sex Fiend
and the electro-experimentations of Bauhaus and Kraftwerk.

Particularly
in this version of Eleven Eleven, the intro feels like the eletro-statik
popping noise that brings up the goose bumps and adrenaline rush, like within
THE HUNGER cinematic debut. The vocals haunting and eerie, like spiders dancing
the foreground with the remote speed set to: Fast Forward.

Dipping into
the more melodic/romantic style of Modern English, Warren Mansfield belts
out a love song for Kristen. A more shoegazer/darkwave side of
SCREAMS FOR TINA flows into Un Chien Andalou.

Fans of strong
male vocals will find satisfaction in SCREAMS FOR TINA, like lamplight on
a stormy night, in every word punctuated by Warren Mansfield; a seasoned guide
among weary gothic travellers looking for passage through the underground.